Toothpaste dispenser and brush holder



Aug. 10, 1965 G. c. SMITH 3,199,736

TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER AND BRUSH HOLDER Filed April 21, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 5001/22 d M/fl/ 5421 M BY Aug. 10 1965 e. c.SMITH TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER AND BRUSH HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April21. 1964 I NVEN TOR. 6200;? Z f/M/fi/ United States Patent Lean!3,199,736 TOOTHPASTE DEPENSER AND BRUSH HOLDER Grover C. Smith, 26310Yale St., Hemet, Calif. Filed Apr. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 361,424 2 Claims.(Cl. 22293) This invention relates to a viscous material dispenser andholder for applicators of the dispensed material.

My copending application Serial No. 171,517, filed Feb. 6, 1962, forMechanical Dispenser, now United States Patent 3,120,905, issued Feb.11, 1964, discloses a dispenser for use in cooperation with acompressible container containing a viscous material. The dispenserdisclosed in the copending application has particular utility indispensing toothpaste from a metal foil tube and has the feature that itassures complete evacuation of the toothpaste from the tube.

This invention provides a unitary device which includes a toothpastedispenser, for example or" the type disclosed in the above-identifiedcopending application. The device further provides a plurality ofreceptacles adapted for receiving toothbrushes and, if desired, anautomatic toothbrush power unit. Preferably, the toothpaste dispenserand the toothbrush holder are enclosed in a housing which is openable topresent the dispenser and toothbrushes. The device is adapted fordisposition either on a horizontal supporting surface or for supportfrom a wall, for example.

Generally speaking, this invention provides a viscous material dispenserand holder for applicators of the dispensed material. The deviceincludes a support member adapt-ed to receive and support in apredetermined manner a compressible container containing a selectedviscous substance. Selectively operable means are carried by the supportmember and are engageable with a container carried by the supportmember. The selectively operable means are operable to compress thecontainer .to dispense a selected quantity of the viscous substance fromthe container. The device further includes a support member andapplicator support means for receiving and supporting the support memberin a predetermined position relative thereto and for releasablyreceiving and supporting at least one viscous substance applicator.

The above-mentioned and other features of the present invention are morefully set forth in the following detailed description and explanation ofthe invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross-sectional elevation view of a toothpastedispenser and toothbrush holder according to this invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE1.

Referring to the drawings a toothpaste dispenser and toothbrush holdingdevice includes a toothpaste dispenser 11 and a toothbrush holder 12disposed in a housing 13. The toothbrush holder is carried by a base 14and, in cooperation with the base, provides a mounting for thetoothpaste dispenser.

Toothpaste dispenser 11 preferably is in accord with the disclosure ofmy copending application Serial No. 171,517, filed Feb. 6, 1962. Thedispenser includes an elongated tray or support member 15 adapted forreceiving a toothpaste tube 16 shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1. Thetray member has a channel-like crosssectional configuration asillustrated in FIGURE 2 including a planar base or web portion 17, apair of forwardly extending parallel flanges 18 disposed at oppositeedges of the web portion, and a pair of inturned coplanar flanges 19each of which preferably is disposed parallel to the tray web portionand which extends from the forward extent of a respective flange 18. Thetray member has a lower end 20 and an upper end 21. The web portion atits lower end defines a semicircular flange 22 which extends normal tothe plane of the Web past flanges 19. An aperture 23 is formed in flange22 and is adapted to receive the neck 24 of toothpaste tube 16. At itsupper end the web portion defines a flange 25 which will be described infurther detail below.

A dispenser base member 30 and a dispenser cover member 31 areinterconnected with one another and are slidably disposed as a unit intray member 15 by a pair of lugs, not shown, which extend laterally fromopposite sides of the cover member and which are disposed between thetray web portion and flanges 19. An operating handle 32, having amanually engageable tab portion 33 at its outer end, passes throughcover member 31 and is pivotally coupled by pin 34 to the dispenser basemember. Movement of the cover member toward and away from tray member 15is restricted by the cover member flanges which secure the cover memberin the tray member. The base member is pivotally connected relative tothe cover member so that upon depression of the operating handle, thebase member is caused to pivot away from the cover member toward thetray member to compress toothpaste tube 16 for dispensing a selectedamount of toothpaste from the tube. The details of construction of thepreferred toothpaste dispenser shown in the drawings are more fully setforth in the above-identified copending application.

Toothbrush holder 12 is comprised of a partially circular block 35 whichhas a planar upper surface 36 and a planar forward surface 37 disposednormal to the upper surface. The block is mounted to the upper surfaceof base 14- which preferably is of circular configuration, as shown inFIGURE 2. Adjacent the central portion of the intersection between blocksurfaces 36 and 37, the block defines a recess 38. The recess hasparallel side walls 39 which are spaced apart a distance correspondingto the distance between the outer surfaces of tray member flanges 18.The recess also has a rear surface 49 which is inclined upwardly andrearwardly of the block. The lower end of tray member 15 is snuglyengageable in recess 38 and is secured to the block by a pair of screws41 passed through the web of the tray member.

Base 14 includes a rigid post 42 which extends vertically upwardly froma rear portion of the base. An aperture 43 is formed through the postadjacent its upper end and provides means for hanging the device againsta wall 44 (see FIGURE 2) in cooperation with a hook, not shown,extending from the wall. Adjacent aperture 43 the post 42 carries aforwardly and upwardly extending lug 45, the upper end of which isthreaded and passes through an aperture in flange 25 of the tray member.The upper end of lug 4-5 is engaged with a cap nut 46 to further supportthe upper end of the tray member in fixed position relative to the base.

Block 35 is disposed upon base 14 so that the rear extent of the blockmates snugly against the forward side of post 42 as shown in FIGURE 2.

A plurality of cylindrical, vertical, upwardly opening recesses 43 areformed in block 35 and define receptacles adapted for receivingtoothbrushes. An enlarged circular recess 49 is also provided in block35 and is adapted for receiving the handle of an automatic toothbiuch.An additional rectangular recess or receptacle 59 is provided in theblock between tray member 15 and post 42 for receiving a recharging unitfor an automatic toothbrush.

As shown in the drawings, the base has an under surface 51 which isplanar so that device 10 may be supported on a horizontal surface. Base14 also defines a pair of projecting lugs 52 which have rear surfaces 53coplanar with the rear side of post 42 as shown in FIG- URE 2. Lugs 52provide for stabilizing device when the device is hung upon a wall sothat the device does not move when the operating handle is depressed.

Housing 13 includes a first portion 55 which is secured to pase 14adjacent the rear portion of the device as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.Housing portion 55 includes a planar upper wall 56 which extendsforwardly from the upper end of post 43 and a pair of verticallydisposed circularly curved wall portions 57 which extend laterally fromthe sides of post 43 toward the front of the device between wall 56 andbase 14. Housing 13 also includes a pair-of doors 58, each of which ishinged to the forward vertical edge of a wall 57 by a hinge 59. Each ofdoors 58 includes a circularly curved wall portion 60 and a roof portion61 which is coplanar with wall portion 56. The door walls 60 are curvedto substantially the same radius as the base 14, as shown in FIGURE 2,and mate with each other along a vertical seam 62 at the front of thedevice. The doors cooperate with each other to define a slot 63 alignedalong seam 62 and having upper and lower ends 64 and 65, respectively,see FIGURE 1. Slot 63 permits operating handle 32and tab 33 thereof toclear the housing when the tube of toothpaste engaged in the dispenseris nearly empty.

In the device illustrated in the drawings and described above,toothpaste holder block 35 not only provides receptacles fortoothbrushes, an automatic toothbrush handle, or an extra container oftoothpaste, but also serves as a foundation for tray member of thetoothpaste dispenser. The base, including post 43, serves the doublefunction of supporting the toothbrush holder and supporting the upperend of tray member 15. The cylindrical configuration of housing 13permits the device to be easily cleaned. If desired, the housing may befabricated of a transparent or tinted opaque plastic.

What is claimed is:

' 1. A combination toothpaste dispenser and toothbrush holder comprisingan elongated tray member adapted to receive and support in apredetermined manner a compreSSible tube of toothpaste, selectivelyoperable tube compressing means carried by the tray member andengageable with a tube of toothpaste disposed in the tray member andincluding an operating handle, the selectively operable means beingoperable upon actuation of the operating handle to compress the tube todispense a selected amount of toothpast from the tube, a base includinga post member extending substantially vertically upwardly from a rearportion thereof, a tray mounting block carried by the base and receivingand supporting the lower end of the tray member at a front portionthereof, the tray member extending upwardly and rearwardly from themounting block to an upper end disposed adjacent the post member, meanscarried by the post member and engaged with the tray member upper endfor further supporting the tray member, the mounting block defining aplurality of upwardly opening receptacles each adapted to receive atoothbrush, and a housing carried by the base and enclosing the blockmember and the tray member. 2. A combination toothpaste dispenser andtoothbrush holder comprising an elongated tray member adapted to receiveand support in a predetermined manner a compressible tube of toothpaste,selectively operable tube compressin means carried by the tray memberand engageable with a tube of toothpaste disposed in the tray member andincluding an operating handle, the selectively operable means beingoperable upon actuation of the operating handle to compress the tube todispense a selected amount of toothpaste from the tube, a base includinga post member extending substantially vertically upwardly from a rearportion thereof, a tray mounting block carried by the base and receivingand supporting the lower end of the tray member at a front portionthereof, the tray member extending upwardly and rearwardly from themounting block to an upper end disposed adjacent the post member, meanscarried by the post member and engaged with the tray member upper endfor further supporting the tray member, the mounting block defining aplurality of upwardly opening receptacles each adapted to receive atoothpbrush, and a housing carried by the base and enclosing the blockmember and tray member and including a'pair of doors hinged adjacent thepost member for movement from a closed position to an open position, theedges of the doors opposite from the hinged support thereof cooperatingto define a slot for the operating handle when the doors are in theirclosed positions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,118,725 5/3 8Craig 222-94 2,550,537 4/51 Derrick 222- 2,563,733 9/51 Meczelski222-105 X 2,667,287 1/54 Cook 222-105 X LOUIS J. DEMBO, PrimaryExaminer.

HADD S. LANE, Examiner.

1. A COMBINATION TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER AND TOOTHBURSH HOLDER COMPRISINGAN ELONGATED TRAY MEMBER ADATPED TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT IN APREDETERMINED MANNER A COMPRESSIBLE TUBE OF TOOTHPASTE, SELECTIVELYOPERABLE TUBE COMPRESSING MEANS CARRIED BY THE TRAY MEMBER ANDENGAGEABLE WITH A TUBE OF TOOTHPASTE DISPOSED IN THE TRAY MEMBER ANDINCLUDING AN OPERABLE HANDLE, THE SELECTIVELY OPERABLE MEANS BEINGOPERABLE UPON ACTUATION OF THE OPERATING HANDLE TO COMPRESS THE TUBE TODISPENSE A SELECTED AMOUNT OF TOOTHPASTE FROM THE TUBE, A BASE INCLUDINGA POST MEMBER EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY UPWARDLY FROM A REARPORTION THEREOF, A TRAY MOUNTING BLOCK CARRIED BY THE BASE AND RECEIVINGAND SUPPORTING THE LOWER END OF THE TRAY MEMBER AT A FRONT PORTIONTHEREOF, THE TRAY MEMBER EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND REARWARDLY FROM THEMOUNTING BLOCK TO AN UPPER END DISPOSED ADJACENT THE POST MEMBER, MEANSCARRIED BY THE POST MEMBER AND ENGAGED WITH THE TRAY MEMBER UPPER ENDFOR FURTHER SUPPORTING THE TRAY MEMBER, THE MOUNTING BLOCK DEFINING APLURALITY OF UPWARDLY OPENING RECEPTACLES EACH ADATPED TO RECEIVE ATOOTHBRUSH, AND A HOUSING CARRIED BY THE BASE